I am sure most people will understand that Contest Prep is hard work and just because I may post lots of photos of delicious looking meals and an ever changing body that looks more and more conditioned week to week. The truth of the matter is I don't often talk a lot about the challenges I face and there are many along the way.

I am not complaining as for the most part I actually enjoy the process even with the hard parts, I like the challenge of seeing just how hard I can push myself each time and try and get in even better shape then my previous shows.

The reality is it's not always super fun and here are some of the hard parts that at least for me I find come up during contest prep...

Body aches and pains, the more I exercise the more my body starts to break down, all the walking and weight training and with a lack of food to help with repair my body really does get soar. I struggle with knee pain, foot pain and muscle and joint pain, usually it's just annoying but it can get so bad that I may have to alter what I am doing to make it to show day.

Fatigue is also a huge consequence of contest prep and cutting weight. Being in a substantial calorie deficit day to day with only a few refeeds along the way really wears down on a person and after a while the body starts sending messages to stop moving in the form of physical exhaustion. This is not an all then time feeling for me but it does come in waves and can be hard to get motivated when it hits me hard. This is when I push through even more as I find getting active helps me overcome the feeling of exhaustion.

Moodiness is another side effect of contest prep, being hungry, in pain and exhausted makes a person a bit short tempered so I really need to watch this and make sure I don't take it out on my family and the people I care about, even people I don't for that matter;)

And then there is the fact that I am self absorbed and so my family gets neglected at times. During contest prep I have a lot on my plate to juggle and I will have to say no to family and friends as there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Of course I have to give up many social functions and if I do go to them then I can not really enjoy them like normal as I am restricted in my food and drink so it can be tuff watching everyone else indulge and let loose while I eat my pre-prepared food and drink my zero calorie beverages.

There are for sure more challenges that come up but these are the main ones I can think of off the top of my head. So when you see someone that has made it to show day and you may think wow, that must feel awesome, yes it does feel awesome to obtain that goal but getting there does come at a cost. It comes down to what is most important to you in the end and for me I am willing to give up some of simple joys and pleasures in life in the short term to be able to look back and say I did my best and accomplished my most with no regrets.